Climate Week: Understanding the Local Impacts of Climate Change

by SLCgreen Staff on October 13, 2015

Dr. Robert Davies with the Utah Climate Center discusses the science of global climate change in his compelling 30 minute presentation, “Earth’s Changing Climate”. The presentation focuses on the physical phenomenon, our understanding based on observation and measurement. Here are a few highlights:

While Earth’s climate does change naturally, the changes we’re seeing today are unique in Earth’s climate history. The Earth is warming and not as part of a natural cycle. Why?

Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide are increasing in the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels at an ever accelerating rate. As a result, energy is trapped, raising the Earth’s temperature.

Specifically in Utah, temperatures have been rising at about twice the global average over the past 40 years.